The present invention relates to optical fiber cable distribution shelves, and more particularly, the invention relates to an optical fiber cable distribution shelf with an improved cable management system.
Optical fiber distribution frames are routinely used in telecommunications as an interface between optical fiber feeder and optical fiber distribution cables. The frames normally include two or more drawers or distribution shelves which each include a panel upon which is mounted an array of optical fiber connectors. Some optical fiber cable distribution shelves have been developed that have 144 fiber capacity rather than the more traditional 72 optical fiber capacity, but these enhanced capacity shelves typically suffer from bulky and difficult to manage optical fiber routing problems. This is particularly true with optical fiber cable distribution shelves having 144 optical fiber capacity and a standard height of 7.0 inches or 9.0 inches such as utilized in conventional optical fiber distribution frames.
The present invention provides an optical fiber cable distribution shelf with an improved cable management system to provide improved fiber routing management so as to render the cable distribution shelves simpler to integrate into existing systems while still maintaining a conventional height 9.0 inches or less. The novel cable distribution shelf of the invention is intended to fit standard 23.0 inch racks and to be compatible with existing 7.0 inch high, 17.0 inches wide, and 11.0 inch deep 72 or 96 optical fiber cable distribution shelves.
The cable distribution shelf with cable management clip system for connecting incoming optical fiber cables with fiber optic patch cords or similar fiber optic cables includes a housing having a divider wall that extends transversely therethrough to define a front bay and a rear bay. The divider wall defines two laterally spaced-apart apertures with a front clip panel therebetween in the front bay and with a rear clip panel therebetween in the rear bay. A first plurality of face plates are removably mounted to the divider wall so as to be positioned in the first divider wall aperture and substantially flush with the divider wall, and a second plurality of face plates are removably mounted to the divider wall so as to be positioned in the second divider wall aperture and substantially flush with the divider wall. A plurality of adapters are mounted to each of the first and second plurality of face plates wherein the adapters serve to connect incoming optical fiberconnectors to outgoing optical fiber connectors.
The cable distribution shelf further includes a novel front cable management clip system mounted to the front clip panel that includes at least one pair of laterally spaced-apart controlled bend clips that each have a collar portion and an inwardly and downwardly inclined arcuate ramp portion for receiving and bendingly guiding optical fiber from a corresponding one of the first or second plurality of face plates laterally inwardly and vertically downwardly along the front clip panel, and at least one divider clip including a plurality of laterally spaced slots wherein the divider clip is positioned beneath the pair of controlled bend clips for receiving downwardly extending optical fiber from at least one of the pair of controlled bend clips into a corresponding slot and guiding the optical fiber from the control bend clip vertically downwardly along the front clip panel towards the bottom of the cable distribution shelf.
The cable distribution shelf further includes a novel back cable management clip system mounted to the back clip panel that includes at least one pair of laterally spaced-apart controlled bend clips each having a collar portion and an inwardly and downwardly inclined arcuate ramp portion for receiving and bendingly guiding optical fiber from a corresponding one of the first or second plurality of face plates laterally inwardly and vertically downwardly along the back clip panel, and at least one divider clip comprising a plurality of laterally spaced slots wherein the divider clip is positioned beneath the pair of controlled bend clips for receiving downwardly extending optical fiber from at least one of the pair of control bend clips into a corresponding slot and guiding optical fiber from the controlled bend clip vertically downwardly along the back clip panel towards the bottom of the cable distribution shelf.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an optical fiber cable distribution shelf with an improved optical fiber cable management system.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an optical fiber cable distribution shelf with an improved cable management system that provides for improved optical fiber routing management so as to render the cable distribution shelf simpler to integrate into existing systems.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a cable distribution shelf with an improved cable management system for enhanced cable management in both the front and back of the cable distribution shelf.
It is another object of the present invention to provide an optical fiber cable distribution shelf that provides or an increased density of fiber optic connections.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a cable distribution shelf with an improved cable management system that provides for enhanced optical fiber cable management in order to control bending radius and relieve stress on optical fiber during its pathway leading into and from the cable distribution shelf.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide an optical fiber cable distribution shelf with an improved cable management system that provides controlled bending radius and minimal stress to optical fibers as they enter and leave the cable distribution shelf in order to avoid optical fiber damage and/or undesirable attenuated signal.
Some of the objects of the invention having been stated, other objects will become evident as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings described hereinbelow.